New Delhi: Indian shooting sensation Manu Bhaker, who became only the second Indian woman to win two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is set to get replacements for her wonky awards. Quality concerns that have affected several athletes across the globe will see the 22-year-old star, whose precision shooting won the nation’s heart, have her medals exchanged.
The bronze coating on both of Manu’s two medals wore off, leaving them looking much older than they actually were, said Manu’s father, Ram Kishan Bhaker. Fearing further damage, the medals have since been framed and placed in a showcase at home, the family said.
The 5,084 medals for the Paris Games will be crafted by the French mint, Monnaie de Paris, which has announced it will systematically replace any defective medals, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said. The move follows more than 100 athletes from around the world complaining about their Olympic and Paralympic medals, with some taking to social media to show how quickly the medals are deteriorating.
A small piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower was a unique feature of every Paris Olympic medal. But this innovative design, it seems, came at a price in terms of durability. The problem was caused by the fact that the French mint banned, at the last minute, a component of the varnish previously used, meaning that the production process had to go through a last-minute change,’ the French mint said.
Bhaker’s partner in the mixed team bronze, Sarabjot Singh, has also not fared any better. “I saw the upper layer begin to chip off within a few days.” “It’s like with every touch the layer was coming off, that kind of thing,” said Singh, who has already been in touch with Indian Olympic Association officials about finding another racket.
The new medals will be identical, and the replacement process will begin in the coming weeks, the IOC promised. However, the development should not take away from Bhaker’s historic achievements of becoming the first Indian to win two medals at a single Olympics since independence.
The incident has brought home the message that even in the sporting world the shine can sometimes come off Olympic glory—but it does not tarnish their achievements.